


Rhett has no Voice

by Marilyn1000



Category: Gone With the Wind - Margaret Mitchell
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-11-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:20:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 23,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27407965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marilyn1000/pseuds/Marilyn1000
Summary: Rhett loses his voice. This is set right after Bonnie is born. The story has a supernatural aspect. Obviously it is going to be off-canon
Relationships: Rhett Butler/Scarlett O'Hara
Comments: 3
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

Scarlett woke up screaming. When she reached for Rhett, she discovered he wasn’t there. No, he was gone. Gone to Chicago. He was traveling for business. He would not be back for two weeks. Well actually it was twelve days now. He would crow so if he knew she always counted the days down when he was gone. She missed him so much while he was gone but she could never tell him. That would give him too much power if he ever knew how much she needed him. She needed him to keep the nightmares away. She needed him to hold her and tell her stories. When they were lying in the bed before they went to sleep, he was always so loving and kind. He told her funny stories about his life and the people they knew. He was never rude or mocking. It was her favorite time of the day. She would never ever tell him but she missed their relations too. He always made her feel so cherished and wanted. She never felt humiliated like she had with Charlie and Frank. She missed talking to him about her businesses even if he had begun to get rather rude and mocking whenever she mentioned Ashley’s mill.  
She was surprised he had gone on his business trip without taking Bonnie with him. Scarlett knew the baby was only five weeks old but the man had hardly put her down since she had been born. She smiled when she thought about what she had overheard him say last week. He had said, “Bonnie is so beautiful because she looks just like her mother.” That thrilled her to no end that Rhett thought she was beautiful. She smiled to herself as she thought about Rhett thinking she was beautiful then it made her sad. She wished he thought of her as more than a body. With that thought she would get herself a brandy.  
~~~~~  
Scarlett was happy her confinement was over. She was not happy she was an inch bigger. She had to let the seams out in this dress. Prissy had taken the dress away from her because she had been savagely attacking the seams. She just wouldn’t have any more children. But how? She was not asking Rhett to sleep elsewhere. No, these ten nights had been bad enough. She had a nightmare every night since he had been gone. The only thing keeping her sane was the knowledge his comforting presence would soon be back in her bed. She would think about it later.  
Now that she could get out, she would not be missing Rhett so much. She was just missing him that much because he was the only person she could talk to besides the servants and Melly. She was mad at Melly. Melly had paid more attention to Bonnie than her just like Rhett had been doing lately. She didn’t know what she was feeling but she didn’t like feeling it. It wasn’t right that Bonnie was getting more attention from Rhett and Melly than her. She should always be the center of attention. That thought made her feel like she was being selfish and immature. A little voice in her head said, ‘You are jealous of Bonnie.’ No. She could not be jealous of Bonnie. She was a six-week old baby. What kind of mother is jealous of her own daughter?  
She would think about it tomorrow. She was out of the house. It was a beautiful spring day. She was going to check on her businesses. She was going to see Ashley. She wasn’t going to think about what she was feeling.  
She went to the store and spent about an hour there going over the books and the inventory. Mr. Elsing had done well. Mr. Elsing was not the smartest person but he was honest. She couldn’t say that about Johnny. After she had looked at his books, she was somewhat happier. His mill had made a profit but how much had Johnny stolen from her. Now she was on her way to Ashley’s mills. She was going to see Ashley after almost six months but why was she sad. She shouldn’t be sad she was going to see Ashley. The little voice in her head said, ‘Because you know he will not have done well without your constant pushing him.’ She agreed with the little voice but she didn’t want to think about what a bad business man Ashley was. That made her feel disloyal to him. The little voice said, ‘It’s true nonetheless.’ She sighed because whether she liked it or not, it was true. Ashley was a lousy business man.  
As she arrived at Ashley’s mill there was production which made her happy. As Ashley came out of the office her heart wasn’t fluttering. Why was that? It was her Ashley. He helped her down from the carriage but she didn’t feel anything when he touched her. That was strange. As he helped her down, he said, “You look beautiful today, Scarlett. You look as beautiful as you did that day of our barbeque.”  
That made her feel so much better. She had been feeling fat but if Ashley thought she looked the same as she did before she had three children then she must not look fat. She smiled and showed him a dimple. She said, “Thank you.”  
They chit-chatted as they walked into the office. Again, Ashley told her how beautiful she was. She thanked him again. She saw the books and wanted to scream. Ashley had barely broken even in the last six months. That was why he had been so complimentary. Did he think she was so shallow that a bunch of empty compliments would sway her? That damn voice said, ‘Yes.’  
She had said, “Ashley you need to work the convicts harder. Johnny says that if one of them tells you he is sick you give him the day off. A lick of the whip will cure just about anything but a broken leg.” The look that had passed over his face had been that of a person appalled by her statement. She didn’t like him looking at her that way.  
Ashley said, “The convicts are men and I can’t treat men that way. Some of them are sick and hurt. I can’t treat the convicts the way Johnny Gallagher can.” Then he started prattling on about her being coarse, hard and brutal but it was Rhett’s fault. He knew she was the same sweet girl from the barbeque.  
She would like to be that girl but she knew she wasn’t that girl. She couldn’t be that girl from the barbeque she had people to support. She lived in the real world not the dream world Ashley lived in.  
She said, “How would you have gotten the slaves to work if you didn’t whip them?”  
Ashley said, “I would have freed them if the war hadn’t come.”  
For the first time ever she thought, ‘He’s so impractical. If he had freed the slaves there would have been no way to work the land. He is a useless dreamer.’ Then he had prattled on about being ashamed of the fact that Rhett had saved his life. He then said something about when he thinks about Rhett touching her…. Ashley had leaned forward and for a minute she had thought he was going to kiss her.  
The little voice in her head shouted, ‘NO!!!!!!!’ She jumped up off the stool and said, “I have to go. You need to do better or we will have to sell this mill.” She had not realized she was going to say that until the words were out of her mouth but she decided that was right. It wasn’t worth the time and effort she was putting into the mills to just break even. The little voice said, ‘This mill will always be a dog with Ashley at its helm.’  
Ashley had looked shocked. He said, “You would sell your mills?”  
“Just this one. It is not worth my time and trouble if we aren’t making a large profit.”  
“Scarlett what would I do if you sold the mill?”  
She smiled sadly and said, “I don’t know. Think about it. Bye.”  
She walked out of the office. She had to think. She really had to think. Not tomorrow but today. She had avoided Ashley kissing her. Why? The little voice said, ‘Because you didn’t want to be physically unfaithful to Rhett.’ But she knew it was more. She got in the carriage and wish there was someone she could talk to. She decided to stop by and see Mamie Bart. She wanted to talk to Mamie about pregnancy prevention methods. If Mamie had run a brothel like Rhett said she did then she would know of some methods that worked. Mamie had known about getting rid of an unwanted pregnancy. Scarlett would talk to her but in a roundabout way about why she had avoided Ashley’s kiss.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW 

Mamie had been home and she invited Scarlett into her parlor. Mamie had offered her a glass of wine and Scarlett had eagerly accepted. She had not had any alcohol since she found out she was pregnant with Bonnie. Scarlett didn’t want to think that all the brandy she had consumed when she was pregnant with Ella had affected her but when Rhett had told her she wasn’t drinking while she was carrying his child she hadn’t argued very much or very long. The women talked about a lot of things including Scarlett’s new daughter. As they were talking Mamie said, “How long are you going to wait before you have another one?”  
“I don’t want to have any more.”  
“How does Rhett feel about wearing a sheath for the next fifteen years?”  
“What? What is a sheath?”  
Mamie cackled. She said, “I didn’t think he had shared that information with you. Most men don’t like wearing them.” Mamie had told her about two types of pregnancy prevention that men could use. Mamie thought, ‘The knowledge that Rhett Butler is having to wear a sheath for the next fifteen years is delicious.’  
“Why did he not tell me about these preventions? He knows I don’t want any children.”  
“Because he did.”  
“No. He has always said he didn’t care if we had any children.”  
“Scarlett, Scarlett Your husband is a liar if that’s what he said. He has always wanted a child of his own,” Mamie saw the argumentative look on Scarlett’s face and quickly added. “Tell him you don’t want to have any more children but you do want to remain intimate. I’ll bet you he is telling you about sheath so fast it will make your head spin.”  
Scarlett laughed. That was what she was going to do. Tomorrow night when Rhett got home.  
“Are there any methods that a woman can do?”  
“Not really.”  
“Mamie, you have known Rhett a long time, right?”  
“I knew him as a customer for a long time, yes. Why?”  
“I just was wondering why y’all don’t like each other.”  
“We have never been friends. Rhett looks down on me and everyone else. As much as he says he is not a gentleman he thinks of himself as a gentleman. He thinks he is better than the rest of us. He is part of the group but he holds himself apart from the group.” Mamie thought, ‘Rhett doesn’t like me because I can see what a pretender he is.’  
“Like Ashley did before the war.”  
“Huh?”  
“My friend Ashley. We both grew up in Clayton County. He could hunt, ride, shoot and drink as well as any of the other guys but it was always like he was going through the motions. It was like he was doing it because that’s what guys did but everyone would joke that he would rather be at home in his library reading poetry.” She and Mamie laughed. Scarlett hadn’t thought of that in a long time. She had never understood how someone would rather be inside reading than outside being active. The little voice said, ‘That is a big difference between the two of you.’ And she said in her mind, ‘Yeah.’  
Mamie said, “That’s exactly what I mean. Rhett can drink, play poker, bed whores and cheat people with the best of them but when it comes down to it, he would rather be part of polite society.”  
“Then why did he ruin it when he was received during the war.”  
“Because he would rather reject people than them reject him. I’ll bet he has never said he loves you.”  
“No. In fact he says the opposite. That he doesn’t love me and that loving me would only be misery for any man.”  
“He will never say it until you say it to him.”  
“Are you saying Rhett loves me?”  
“No. I’m not saying Rhett loves you but if he did, he would never tell you because he would be too afraid of rejection.”  
“No Rhett’s conceit is too strong for him to be hurt by rejection.”  
“Scarlett, I have made my living by being able to read men. Rhett is afraid of rejection by you and by society.”  
Scarlett laughed and said, “No he’s not. Mamie why would someone deny themselves something they have wanted for a long time?”  
“Maybe they didn’t really want it they just thought they wanted it or they know in their heart that even though they wanted it they shouldn’t have it.”  
When Mamie saw the confused look on Scarlett’s face she said, “Let’s say what you want is a piece of cake. You have wanted one for several weeks. You finally get a chance to eat that cake but when you sit down to eat it you realize that the reason you haven’t eaten it before now is that you really didn’t want it. Or you decide that although the cake would be good it isn’t worth what you would have to pay for eating it. The extra pounds. You go home and think about what I said.” Scarlett still looked confused but Mamie knew she needed to figure it out herself.  
Thanks, Mamie, for the advice. I do have to get home.”  
After she got in her carriage Scarlett laughed again at the thought of Rhett being afraid of rejection. The little voice said, ‘But what if he is.’  
Scarlett chose to think about avoiding Ashley’s kiss instead. She decided that she didn’t want Ashley to kiss her because she would not be unfaithful to Rhett. That damn little voice in her head said, ‘No just emotionally unfaithful.’ She ignored it. She had been hearing that voice for the last two days. Despite the fact she had tried to ignore the voice she couldn’t. She kept hearing it.  
~~~~  
The first time Scarlett had heard the little voice it had startled her a little bit. She had been in her bedroom and when she had heard it, she had looked to see if someone else was in the room with her. There wasn’t. She had been a little bit scared but then she remembered that Mammy Jincy had said she heard voices telling her truths. That must be what was happening to her. When someone asked Mammy Jincy how she could hear voices telling her truths inside her head. She said, “One day I started hearing voices that tell me truths and they tell me about the future.”  
She remembered when Mammy Jincy had told her that she was going to marry a dark-haired man. Scarlett shrugged her shoulders and thought that was true.  
She wasn’t telling anyone about hearing these voices though. She didn’t want anyone thinking she was crazy and locking her up. Her confinement had been bad enough. Besides she wasn’t crazy.  
0~0  
Rhett returned home the next night in the middle of the night. He was tired. He could not quit coughing. His train had been delayed several times. The worst was he had not been able to get a private car. He had gotten a sleeping berth but it was pretty uncomfortable. He had tried to sleep but every time he was almost asleep someone in the train car had made a noise. He was a light sleeper so he was awake again. He had gotten some sleep last night but not nearly enough.  
It had been a bad trip. His business deals that he had gone to Chicago to investigate had flopped. They had strung him along trying to wear him down. When he had lost his voice two days ago, he had walked away from the deals. The end result was two weeks away from Scarlett and Bonnie for nothing.  
He had not regained his voice. He decided he had gotten a cold in his throat. He would go see Dr. Meade tomorrow.  
Rhett would not get to see Bonnie until tomorrow morning. At least he would be able to hold Scarlett tonight while she slept. He wondered if she had gotten permission to resume their marital relations. While he had been in Chicago he had gone to a saloon and played poker. He had made enough to cover the cost of his trip and he had strongly considered going upstairs to relieve his sexual tension but instead he had gone to the hotel room and had taken care of the problem himself. He had tried to talk himself into using one of the whores by telling himself Scarlett was being emotionally unfaithful so he could be physically unfaithful to her but he still hadn’t gone upstairs. Truth was he didn’t want anyone but Scarlett. He hadn’t in a long time. As long as he was being intimate with her, he wouldn’t have relations with anyone else.  
He quietly opened their bedroom door and put the candle on his nightside table. He smiled when he saw that she was on his side of the bed with her arms wrapped around his pillow. That made him feel better. He took off his clothes and just left his underwear on. Maybe they couldn’t have relations but at least it could be skin to skin. As he slid into the bed he wondered if he could get her nightgown off without waking her up. He then decided if he woke her up so much the better.  
Rhett had gotten her nightgown off without waking her up. As soon as he had her in his arms he started coughing again. He just kept coughing. His coughing woke her up. When she saw him, she smiled and said, “Rhett” in that breathy way she sometimes did. The way that made him think she loved him. Her smile quickly turned into a frown as he kept coughing. Then she realized she didn’t have her nightgown on and she scowled at him. In the midst of his coughing she said, “Where is my nightgown?”  
Rhett just kept coughing and pointed to the floor by his side of the bed. She scrambled over him. She put on her nightgown and got him some water. She said, “You are going to have to stop that. I won’t be able to sleep with you coughing.” And he nodded his head and finally stopped coughing.  
“Did you just get home?”  
Rhett opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. He cleared his throat and tried again. Still no words came out. He ended up just nodding his head.  
“What is wrong with your voice?”  
Rhett gestured, ‘I don’t know.’  
“You will have to go see Dr. Meade tomorrow. This could become tiresome.”  
Rhett nodded his head.  
“Where you going to have relations with me in my sleep?”  
Rhett tried again to talk. As much as he normally did like to make her mad, he still was trying to salvage the situation so he could have relations with her. When nothing came out, he shook his head no.  
She narrowed her eyes and said, “I don’t want to have a child every year.” She would tell him later she didn’t want any more.  
When she said that Rhett narrowed his eyes. His thought was, ‘She has been out to see Mr. Wilkes.’  
She continued, “Can you fix that without us having to sleep in separate bedrooms?”  
Rhett again opened his mouth and still nothing came out. He finally just shook his head up and down. He couldn’t worry about Mr. Wilkes right now. He had to keep all his wits about him. She was pretty alert for someone who had just woke up.  
“Tonight?”  
Now Rhett was in a real quandary. He was already in deep water. She soon was going to want to know why he had gotten her pregnant since he knew she didn’t want to have children. If he told her he had sheaths in his bag she was going to want to know why. He would have to use the withdrawal method if he got her to agree. He might be able to explain away him getting her pregnant but he didn’t think he was going to be able to explain away having sheaths in his bag. The truth was that they were in his bag from before he married her but he didn’t think she would believe him. If he could talk, he could talk in circles so much that she would be totally confused and at his mercy but he couldn’t speak. He finally just nodded his head up and down.  
She said, “How?”  
He pointed at his throat.  
She said, “Use your hands to demonstrate.”  
As he reached for her she jumped off the bed. She said, “Your hands! Not my body.”  
Rhett tried his best to simulate the withdrawal method of prevention. Scarlett knew she would never have figured it out if Mamie hadn’t already explained it to her. Instead she said, “Alright. Does that hurt?”  
Rhett wanted to tell her it wasn’t painful but it was difficult because at the precise moment he wanted to stay some place he had to make himself go to another place. Since he couldn’t talk, he just shook his head no.  
Much to Rhett’s delight and joy Scarlett said, “Alright but if you get me pregnant you are sleeping somewhere else.”  
Rhett nodded his head up and down. He held out his hand and she came into his arms. It was wonderful and at the precise moment when Rhett wanted desperately to stay right where he was, he made himself go someplace else.  
Scarlett snuggled into him and that made it all worthwhile. He would buy a railroad car full of sheaths tomorrow. He didn’t know why he thought this but he felt he had been a hair’s breath away from getting kicked out of this room.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW   
Author’s Notes: Thank you for the reviews and the feedback. 

The next morning when he woke up Scarlett was still in his arms. She fit perfectly in his arms. How could she not see that? As he was staring at her, she opened her eyes. She stared into his eyes and said, “Good morning.”  
Rhett smiled and opened his mouth and tried to speak. No words came out. Scarlett could see he was struggling to speak and said, “You will have to go see Dr. Meade today about that. Although you not being able to speak might be a blessing to the rest of us.”   
Rhett had rolled her over and started tickling her. She had pulled him down a midst her giggling and kissed him. They had a lovely time and he did what he had to do. She had snuggled into him afterwards and said, “Thank you. I really don’t want to get pregnant ever again.”  
He had wrapped her up in his arms and thought, ‘I have to get some sheaths before I kill myself. I’m too old to keep doing that.’  
After Scarlett went back to sleep, Rhett got up and got dressed then went to see his baby. He played with Bonnie for a while then he and Ella went down to breakfast. After he had finished breakfast, he went to see Dr. Meade and the good doctor didn’t see anything wrong with Rhett’s throat.   
Dr. Meade said, “I don’t see why you can’t speak. I don’t see anything wrong. I guess your voice will come back when you heal yourself. In the meantime, it is a blessing for the rest of us.”  
Rhett had scowled at him and paid the man. He went to Belle’s. It was early but Belle’s never closed. He started to write a note to the bartender and realized that the man could not read. Through some graphic depictions Rhett got the bartender to understand that he wanted to buy some sheaths. Belle came out of her office and she greeted Rhett. He indicated that he could not speak. She asked him, “How is the baby?”   
Rhett smiled really big and did a thumbs up.   
She asked him, “How is Scarlett?”  
He smiled and did a thumbs up. By this time the bartender had come back with the box of sheaths and Rhett bought all they had. Rhett was glad the price had gone down in the last decade. He had always used a condom with whores. They were walking disease carriers. He waved at Belle and walked out the door.   
Belle said to the bartender, “I hope he gets his voice back soon. He isn’t going to be happy not being able to make mocking comments.” The bartender laughed and agreed. 

He might be able to talk Scarlett into having another child if he could talk. For now he was going to do everything in his power to make sure she didn’t get pregnant until she wanted to have another child. He would like to have another one but if she didn’t want to have any more than he was going to make sure they didn’t have any more. He knew that if he got her pregnant without her permission again, he would be kicked out of her bed.   
It was dinner time when Rhett got home. As they were eating Scarlett asked him, “What did Dr. Meade say?”  
Rhett did a ‘I don’t know’ gesture.   
“Are you supposed to do anything to treat it?”  
Rhett shook his head no.  
After dinner Scarlett sent Wade and Ella upstairs to take a nap. She then got up and went to put on her hat. Rhett gestured the question ‘Where are you going?’  
“To the store and the mills,” Scarlett laughed out loud at the expression on Rhett’s face. “Let me help you out.”   
In a mocking tone she said, “How is the little gentleman?”   
Then she in a normal voice answered. “Fine. He barely made a profit the entire time I was in my confinement.”  
In a mocking tone she said, “What else did you expect?”  
“I had hoped he would have done better.”  
In a mocking tone she said, “Really, my pet? You should know by now what a lousy business man Mr. Wilkes is.”  
And with that she started laughing and said, “I guess you are not as unpredictable as I thought. Bye.” And she walked out the door.   
Rhett was smiling as she walked away. She didn’t seem mad about his comments about Mr. Wilkes. She actually seemed to think it was funny. Wait a minute! They weren’t his comments but what she thought he would say. She was on point though which made him smile.   
The next several weeks were the happiest of their marriage although they still had some problems. Scarlett had actually been sweet to Rhett. She had welcomed Rhett when he had initiated relations with her but more than that she had enjoyed herself. Rhett had finally brought her to sexual satisfaction. She often thought, ‘It is so much better now that I can’t get pregnant.’ The little voice in her head that she was beginning to hate said, ‘Or the fact you aren’t holding yourself back in loyalty to Ashley Wilkes.’   
About a week after Rhett’s return from Chicago as they were sitting in the library Scarlett asked Rhett, “Why did you get me pregnant when you knew I didn’t want to have any more children?” She had asked the question in a very normal voice.   
Rhett sat there and thought of all the mocking sarcastic comments he could make then he looked at her earnest face. Him having to write everything down really made him paused before he said anything. She really wanted to know. He couldn’t tell her that he had imagined she was pregnant with his child while she was carrying Ella. He couldn’t tell her that he had dreamed of them having children together since she had made her comment about …..a passel of brats. If he could talk, he would have made a comment about it being a new experience and so little in life was new to him like what he had said when she told him she was pregnant. Since he had made no secret of the fact that he loved his child he would simply tell her he had always wanted a child of his own. He wrote that down.   
She had smiled at him and said, “I wish we had talked about it but you knew that the only way I was going to have another child was if you tricked me.”  
Rhett wrote down, - ‘I didn’t trick you.’ -  
“You withheld information. You should probably have twenty of them as baby crazy as you are but not with me.”  
Rhett had laughed and sighed a sigh of relief. She wasn’t acting mad about him having forced her to have his child so he wasn’t going to argue with her about the issue. The truth of the matter was he had tricked her by not telling her about preventatives and he had known she didn’t want any more children. Her questioned had been idle curiosity nothing more.   
Rhett had quit smoking thinking that the cigars were the reason why he could not speak. Although he had been very cross and irritated while he was giving up cigars, he had not been able to verbally lash out at anyone. Everyone knew he was aggravated but their feelings weren’t hurt because he couldn’t verbally assault them. Needless to say, most people gave him a wide berth. He could write nasty notes down but the only people who could read where Wade and Scarlett. Rhett wouldn’t show them to Wade because he didn’t want to hurt the boy’s feelings. Scarlett wouldn’t read them. When Rhett tried to force her to by sticking the notes in front of her face, she would take the notes and tear them up in tiny pieces. That would make Rhett extremely mad but Scarlett would just walk out of the room. Scarlett was so glad that Rhett couldn’t speak while he was quitting smoking cigars. She could refuse to read the notes but she wouldn’t have been able to ignore what he was saying. After two weeks of not smoking he still couldn’t speak. He was feeling so much better and he had more stamina though.   
He needed every bit of stamina he could get when he was making love to Scarlett. Now that she was getting satisfaction from their relations, she was insatiable which was very nice except she was in her twenties and he was in his forties. He didn’t have nearly as much energy as she did but he would never tell her that. He would never say no to her. She had never actually asked. He knew she never would but when she wanted to, she would snuggle up to him and rub his chest and abdomen. She would never come close to his nether regions but he always hoped she would.   
She had on more than one occasion taken Bonnie from the nursemaid and had played with her. Rhett wanted to object because Bonnie was his but Scarlett would laugh when he tried to stop her. She would say, “If you don’t want me to take her just say no.” Then she laughed as she had walked out of the room. Without physically wrestling Bonnie away from her there wasn’t anything that he could do. He wouldn’t do that because Bonnie might get hurt and he would appear undignified. He had written her a scathing note about her being a bad mother and he didn’t want her taking Bonnie without his permission. She had read the note and said, “That is your opinion. I will take my child whenever and wherever I want to.” Scarlett would not have been brave enough to say that to Rhett if she hadn’t known he couldn’t answer her back. Rhett had always been able to confuse her when he wanted to but without him confusing her, she could stick to her goal. She wasn’t nearly as intimidated by him when he couldn’t talk. Besides the little voice had told her she could learn to be a good mother if she tried.   
She would take Bonnie and Ella to their back yard and play with them. The reality was that Ella played with Bonnie and Scarlett just watched but she was learning how to interact with her daughters. The little voice said, ‘It is about time you showed your daughters some parental attention.’ She was really beginning to hate that little voice. What she hated most was the little voice seemed to always be right.   
She went to visit with Melly several times a week. She always brought the children with her because Melly loved children but she especially loved babies. Melly looked so happy playing with Bonnie. Scarlett still didn’t like the emotion she was feeling when Melly was oohing and aahing over Bonnie. The little voice said, “You are jealous. You are jealous of your daughter.” Scarlett had accepted that she was jealous of Bonnie.   
She knew she was especially jealous of the attention Rhett was showing Bonnie. Rhett was her husband. His attention should be on her. She knew that she had taken for granted all the attention Rhett had always paid her. Rhett had been her friend, her confidant and her lover. He had always been focused on her when she was around. Now he was focusing on Bonnie and not her. The voice said, ‘That’s not exactly right. He is still giving you attention he is just not solely focused on you.’ Scarlett knew it was true but she pouted anyway.   
As she went home, she thought, ‘I really am a bad mother. I am jealous that my best friend is paying attention to my daughter instead of me. I am really jealous that my husband is paying attention to his daughter instead of me. It’s because he is lavishing her with love and attention. I want all his love and attention.’ Then before that stupid voice could say it, she thought, ‘I really am selfish and self-centered.’ When that thought went through her head she wanted to say, ‘That isn’t true.’ Even though she wanted to deny it, she knew it was correct.   
She went to check on her businesses two or three times a week. The only business that brought her joy these days was the store. Mr. Elsing was a decent manager. He would do what she told him to do and never argue back. He kept the inventory at the correct levels, he kept the store clean, the Old Guard really liked him, he kept the books in order, and every month he made a nice profit.   
Going to see Johnny’s mill was getting to be upsetting. Sure, Johnny made a very good profit but at what cost. She knew he was stealing from her. She just couldn’t figure out how. The way he treated the convicts was really beginning to bother her. She had always before been able to turn a blind eye to his activities in regard to the convicts but that voice in her head kept bringing it up. One day she thought, ‘If I keep the mills, I will have to do something about Johnny’s treatment of the convicts.’ The little voice said, ‘You should probably sell both mills. The building boom will be over soon.’  
For some reason she had lowered her expectations in regard to Ashley’s mill. She was now just hoping he made any kind of profit at all. While she was at his mills, she made sure to only talk about their business. If he paid her a compliment she just continued talking about the mill and their need to do better. When she would think about what he had said about her being coarse, hard and brutal it would make her mad. If she was that way it was the war and the aftermath of the war that had made her that way not her husband. Just like the war had made him a weak-willed, spineless, indecisive coward who wanted to live in the past. The little voice had said, ‘He has always been that way.’ Scarlett didn’t argue. The little voice was always right.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW   
Author’s Notes: Thank you for the reviews and feedback 

As the weeks went by and Rhett didn’t get his voice back Scarlett was enjoying being with Rhett. He was being sweet. He was being like he had been when she had been married to Frank. She remembered him giving her that horse and her wanting to pay for it but not having the money. Rhett had found a way to give it to her without hurting her pride. Or the way he was when she was pregnant with Ella. She had not thought of that in a long time. She remembered him driving her back from the mills so she wouldn’t get hurt and she wouldn’t have if she hadn’t gotten mad at him. In her anger she had kicked him out of the buggy and Rhett had just laughed at her. She had missed that Rhett but he was back.   
Scarlett didn’t know it but she was being sweet to Rhett. She was paying him more attention than she had in their entire relationship. Scarlett was treating Rhett like he was her friend. She was treating him like he was an important person to her. Scarlett had not been knowingly treating him better. She wanted his attention so she was doing what she did when she wanted someone’s attention. She was sweet, and kind and a little bit feisty. Rhett knew it wasn’t love but it was more than he had before he went to Chicago. Rhett liked the way Scarlett was behaving so he was being on his best behavior sort of.   
It was harder to get her confused when she could read what he had written at the speed her brain needed it to be read for Scarlett to understand. Also, when she was reading the notes, she would skip over the words she didn’t understand where as when he was speaking to her those words would bog her down and she wouldn’t understand what he was saying. It was harder to make fun of her when she had to read the comments. If he wrote down a compliment then wrote down something else, she wouldn’t read the second sentence because she knew it was an insult made at her expense. Rhett smiled and thought, ‘She is getting smarter.’  
She still saw the Scallawag wives occasionally in the afternoon when one of them had a get together but they were getting boring. She was seeing less and less of them. They were becoming as boring as the sewing bees and committee meetings. Each group just kept repeating the same gossip. Granted the wives never talked about the war but they talked about things they had done together before they came to Atlanta which left Scarlett out of the conversation. Scarlett often thought they were laughing at her behind her back although she couldn’t figure out why.   
Mamie Bart had a party and Scarlett accepted for Rhett and herself. Rhett agreed to attend the party. Mamie’s house was nicely decorated and they had lovely appetizers. There was a lot of alcohol being served. Scarlett spent the evening flirting with almost every man in the room while Rhett stood off to the side and watched. They normally didn’t spend their time together when they attended a Scallawag party. Normally Scarlett spent her time flirting with all the men and Rhett spent his time making deals and mocking comments about how the other men had made their money. This night because Rhett couldn’t talk, he kept to himself. He was not going to be seen writing notes. That would have made him look weak and undignified. Rhett never looked undignified. Ever. He drank a lot more than he had planned. The more he drank the madder Rhett got at Scarlett. In his alcohol muddled state he decided that Scarlett should have stood by his side although he had never said anything like that to her. In his alcohol muddled state he decided that she was disrespecting him by flirting with all the other men. It was bad enough that she believed herself in love with another man but for her to so blatantly act like he was a eunuch he would not tolerate. The madder he got the more he drank. So, he was pretty drunk when they left the party. When they left the party, Rhett clinched her elbow pretty forcefully and tightly. Scarlett knew he was mad but she had no idea why.   
When they got in the carriage, she did ask him, “What is the matter, Rhett?”  
He sat on his side of the carriage and stared out the window. He never acted like he had heard her. Suddenly he banged on the roof of the carriage and Pork asked, “Yes, ma’am?”  
Scarlett said, “I think Mr. Butler wants out of the carriage.”  
Rhett started clapping when she said that. She thought, ‘Even through sign language he can be mocking and hurtful.’  
After Pork had stopped the carriage, Rhett got out and saluted her jauntily. She knew Rhett was mad but she had no idea why. For once she wished the voice would say something. The voice remained quiet the rest of the night. After she got in bed, she decided the voice didn’t know what had happened either. Neither one of them knew why Rhett was so mad. She had a couple of brandies and went to sleep.   
Rhett got out of the carriage when it was only a couple of blocks from Belle’s. The walk would do him good. Let his wife wonder where he was going. She deserved to suffer after the way she had behaved tonight. It had always bothered him the way she would flirt with every man in the room but tonight it was just too much. He usually could ignore her actions while conversing with the other men. Alright, maybe, he had enjoyed all the other men wanting her while she was going home with him. She was so naïve that she didn’t understand that almost every Scallawag man was lusting after her and that only his presence was stopping them from making an overt suggestion. His presence and the fact he was one of the best marksmen in the south. Rhett knew that there was only one man she would be unfaithful to him with and he knew that the only reason they hadn’t consummated their relationship was Mr. Wilkes’s mores not his wife’s. When Rhett got to Belle’s there was a seat at one of the poker tables opened. He waved at Belle and motioned for a drink.   
Belle knew Rhett was drunk. She knew him too well for him to hide the signs from her. She normally served his drinks pretty rapidly but she intentionally was slow to bring him his drinks. Belle wondered what Scarlett had done to him but she really didn’t care. She liked Rhett. He was fun and entertaining. He didn’t mind spending his money on whiskey or whores. Although as far as Belle knew he had been faithful to Scarlett which had surprised her. Rhett usually tired of the same whore pretty quickly. There were some men who came in to bed a whore and they would want the same one every time. They would get mad if their favorite wasn’t available or had found other employment. Belle had always wondered about that. Belle was glad Rhett still couldn’t speak otherwise she would have had to listen to Rhett go on and on about Scarlett.  
Rhett’s thoughts were pretty hazy but he still won about fifty dollars at the poker game. For a moment he forgot why he had been mad earlier then, he remembered. He had been mad because Scarlett was so selfish and self-centered, she hadn’t been the least bit concerned about him all evening. If she wasn’t so obtuse, she would have figured it out that he needed her to stay with him and keep him company.   
The last several hands he had been dealt had been lousy so he decided to call it a night. Belle had Moses drive him home in her carriage. Well not actually to his home but to about two or three blocks away. Rhett had tried to convince Moses to just take him home but Moses was too smart to listen to a drunk customer. The man might not care when he was drunk and mad but he would care tomorrow in the cold light of day.   
Rhett smiled when he was walking home. He hadn’t even thought about going upstairs while he was at Belle’s. If Scarlett wasn’t awake when he got home, she would be before he went to sleep.   
She heard Rhett come home. She was surprised at the amount of noise he was making. Usually the drunker Rhett got the more dignified Rhett acted. He must be making all that noise so he would wake her up.   
While Rhett was downstairs making a lot of noise, he wrote a note for his wife. When he entered the bedroom, he didn’t even try to be quiet. He lit a lamp and took off his clothes. When he saw that she was awake he handed her the note. He had written, - “All I did was get drunker and play cards. One unfaithful spouse is enough in this marriage.” –  
The little voice said, ‘Don’t say anything. He is too drunk to reason with.’ So, Scarlett put the note on her nightside table and laid back down. She didn’t talk she just stared at him. When her husband reached for her to initiate relations the voice said, ‘Go along with it. You don’t want to make him mad.’   
Rhett kissed her and pulled her on top of him. He kept kissing her while holding her head in place. Then he let her go and stopped kissing her. When Scarlett opened her eyes and looked at her husband he had passed out. She laid on top of him for a while and was even more confused than before he had entered their bedroom. She soon got up and blew out the candle and got back in bed. She laid next to her husband and fortunately went back to sleep.   
When she woke up the next day Rhett had left her a note on her nightside table next to the other note. He had written – ‘Good morning my own personal femme fatale.   
I have decided to forgive you for your behavior last night. Although you did make me look like a cuckold husband. I would appreciate it the next time you try to regain your youth by beguiling every man in the room you will remember the man that pays your very large bills and not disgrace him so again.   
I will not be appearing at any of the Scallawag evening events again until I am able to articulate therefore if you wish to attend these parties, my little succubus, you will have to go alone.’-  
~~~~  
Rhett was at the breakfast table wishing Ella would be quiet. He wasn’t hungover for he had taken his magic cure but he was tired and out of sorts. The little girl could go on about nothing for hours and with her being only three her speech wasn’t always clear. Usually he let her prattle on because he found her delightful. He did love the child but he wished she didn’t look so much like her father. Ella was lucky that she had inherited her mother’s eyes and smile at least. Rhett then looked at his other stepchild and wondered how Scarlett’s other two husbands had managed to sire children that looked just like them while his child looked just like her mother. Rhett did not see anything of Scarlett in Wade. Idly Rhett wondered if they had another child would she look like her mother or him or a combination of the two of them.   
After the note he had left for Scarlett he probably didn’t need to wonder about another child. He was pretty sure it would be a cold day in hell before they had relations again after his comment about a succubus. Then again, his wife wouldn’t understand the reference and probably would not care enough to look it up or ask him about it. All she would get from the note was he was not attending anymore Scallawag events.   
After he had eaten breakfast he considered going to their bedroom and retrieving the note but decided against it. If she woke up and caught him that would make him look weak. So, he wasn’t going to do that. He could never let Scarlett see him as weak.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW   
Author’s Notes: Thank you for the reviews and feedback

Scarlett laid in her bed completely confused. She didn’t understand what Rhett had written. What was a femme fatale? What had she done wrong last night? She had behaved as she always had behaved. What did cuckold mean? What did articulate mean? What did he mean about regaining her youth? She was still young. What was a succubus? Nothing good if Rhett had called her it. As she was sitting in her bed rereading the note. Her little voice said, ‘Melly would know what all those words mean.’   
She thought, ‘I can’t let Melly see this note. I would be too embarrassed.’   
The voice said, ‘Who else is going to help you understand this note? You know Melly won’t tell anyone’  
She thought, ‘Except maybe Ashley but so what.’ With that she got up and rang for her maid, Prissy.   
Prissy arrived with her breakfast tray. Scarlett got dressed. Prissy fixed her hair while she ate some of her breakfast. As soon as Scarlett was finished with her breakfast, she grabbed the notes and walked out the door of her bedroom. As she was walking down the stairs, she was very quiet. She didn’t want Rhett to see her. She wasn’t ready to talk to him. She got outside without running into Rhett and her buggy was waiting outside.   
She got in her buggy and drove over to Melly’s. Melly was home and said, “Darling, I’m so happy to see you.’  
Scarlett said, “I need your help.” Scarlett had rarely discussed her problems with anyone. To her that would be a sign of weakness but she needed someone to help her understand what Rhett had written on this note. She had never had anyone she could trust to discuss her problems with except Rhett but she certainly couldn’t discuss this with him. She had never had a girlfriend except Melly and Cathy Calvert. Scarlett knew that with Melly’s help they would find a solution to her problem. Scarlett didn’t know why she had so much faith in hers and Melly’s collaboration but she did. The little voice said, ‘Because when y’all are together nothing can defeat y’all.’ Scarlett knew that was true. Sherman hadn’t defeated them, starvation hadn’t defeated them, the Yankees hadn’t defeated them and Rhett Butler wasn’t going to defeat them either.   
Melly linked her arm in Scarlett’s arm and said, “Come in, come in. How can I help you?”  
Scarlett showed Melly the note Rhett had written and said, “I don’t understand half the words on that paper. I didn’t do anything last night that I don’t normally do at a party.”  
Melly had smiled and patted her arm. She said, “We will figure this out. What words do you not know the meaning to?  
“Femme fatale”  
“An irresistibly, attractive woman who leads men into danger.”  
Scarlett liked the first part of the definition but the second half annoyed her but she moved on. She said, “cuckold”  
“a man whose wife is unfaithful”  
“I have never been unfaithful to Rhett” The little voice said, “Really?”  
“I think in this case Captain Butler is not meaning it literally but figuratively.”  
“beguiling and articulate”  
“to charm and to speak”  
“And this last one succubus”  
Melly turned beet red but said, “It is a female demon that pulls the life out of men while having relations with them.”  
Scarlett turned red also. She was embarrassed and mad. How dare Rhett call her that? She knew she shouldn’t have come over here. She knew she shouldn’t have shared the note with Melly. Now Melly was going to pity her.   
Melanie said angrily, “You should shoot him like you did that Yankee. We could bury him in Aunt PittyPat’s flower garden. As ugly as that garden is no one would know the difference.”   
Scarlett looked at Melanie and saw the anger on her face. Melly wasn’t pitying her. Melly was as mad as she was. Scarlett said, “I would but I don’t know where he has hidden all of his money.”   
Melly said, “I guess we will let Captain Butler live another day then. Let’s figure out what Captain Butler meant by his note.”  
It made Scarlett feels so good that Melly was angry on her behalf. Scarlett didn’t see any pity in Melly’s eyes in fact Scarlett saw an evil glint in Melly’s eyes and smiled.   
Melly asked, “Did you behave as you normally do when you are at a social gathering?”  
“If you mean did, I flirt with every man in the room then yes.” Scarlett could not believe she had been so honest with Melly.  
“What did Captain Butler do?”  
Scarlett thought about the night before and tried to remember what Rhett had done. He hadn’t done anything but stand by the bar. She guessed all he did was drink. She remembered one or two men talking to him but all Rhett had done was nod his head. She told Melly, “He stood next to the bar and drank. He can’t talk so I guess he couldn’t socialize or make any deals. He would never do gestures or write notes in front of the Scallawags. He would see that as being humiliating.”  
As gently as she could Melly said, “So he stood around all night watching his wife flirt with other men.”  
“Yeah. I didn’t go talk to him all evening until it was time to go.” Scarlett was feeling shame again but this time it was because she hadn’t thought about Rhett once last night. She had been too busy trying to capture the way she had felt at that last Barbeque. That she was the belle of the ball. That she was sixteen again. I guess that was the youth he was talking about.   
Scarlett said, “What do I do?”  
“Nothing. He claims he has already forgiven you. Call him on it.”  
“Call him on it?”   
“He is claiming to have already forgiven you. He can’t say anything or that would make him a liar. Just act like you have accepted his forgiveness. Sometimes it is better to avoid the confrontation.”  
The last statement made her think of Ashley for some reason. “I guess I could do that. I could take the high road.”  
“Of course, all of this could have been avoided if he had told you he needed you to stick by his side. Just next party you go to you might want to spend more time with Captain Butler especially while he can’t speak. He will never tell you but he will need you to stand beside him so he doesn’t appear as a pitiable person.”  
“Oh Melly. How are you so good at understanding people?”  
Melly laughed and said, “While you were out there enjoying life, I was sitting on the sidelines observing life.” Scarlett smiled. She was feeling true affection for her sister in law. She didn’t realize it though.  
Scarlett said, “Thank you Melly. I don’t know what I would have done without you. Please don’t tell Ashley about this. I would be too embarrassed.”  
“Of course not, darling. He already hates Captain Butler enough.”  
“Really? I didn’t know Ashley hated Rhett. Why do you think that is?”  
Melly sighed and said, “We will discuss that another day.”  
“You are right. My head is over full as it is.” Scarlett got up and hugged Melly goodbye. She was ready to do battle with Rhett Butler now.  
After Scarlett left Melly sighed and hoped things worked out for the Butlers. Melly had chosen not to discuss Ashley’s hate for Captain Butler because it was too complicated for her shallow sister in law to understand. She loved Scarlett dearly but she wasn’t a deep person.   
As Scarlett was driving to the store she wondered if Ashley hated Rhett because of her. The little voice said, ‘You are part of it but there is so much more.’ Scarlett sighed and started thinking about staking Rhett out in the hot sun without any water.   
Scarlett went to the store then home for dinner. She was cordial and kind to Rhett. She acted like the last twenty-four hours had not happened. Rhett watched her for the rest of the following days waiting for her to yell at him or call him ugly names. To Scarlett he almost seemed disappointed that there were no fireworks. She had decided to behave as an adult. Scarlett decided that this was almost torture to Rhett for him to not know when or if she was going to yell at him.   
Scarlett had slept in Rhett’s arms as she always did but she didn’t initiate anything. After a couple of days, Rhett initiated relations and as much as Scarlett wanted to rebuff him with words about her being a succubus, she knew she should take the high road and not say anything. Finally, she decided that it was too delicious to resist and she finally touched him where he had been wanting her to touch him for years now and said, “Aren’t you afraid of losing all your life force?”   
Rhett shook his head vigorously no.  
She smiled a smug smile and Rhett didn’t care. He just wanted her to keep on touching him.   
The next night Rhett did something he rarely did he apologized sort of. He wrote Scarlett a note saying, -‘You are definitely not a succubus. I always feel revitalized after we have relations.’-  
“You should choose your words more carefully or I might show you just how much of a succubus I can be,” Scarlett said and laughed afterwards.   
Rhett didn’t think she was joking. He didn’t know what she would do and he didn’t want to find out. Rhett had never been afraid of Scarlett but something about her statement made his blood run cold. When he saw a malicious look in her eyes, he decided to just read his book and leave well-enough alone.  
They didn’t attend any more Scallawag events. They returned to their comfortable relationship but their relationship had changed. When Scarlett had not gotten mad about his notes Rhett was wondering why. He acknowledged to himself that she had behaved like an adult. Rhett also decided that he could have told her to stick by his side at the party without appearing weak. The truth was she had done what she had always done when they went to a party together. Had he really thought his obtuse wife was going to have the insight to realize that he needed her help? He knew she had looked up the meaning of femme fatale and succubus judging by her comment the other night but she hadn’t gotten mad. He wished he hadn’t called her those names. He smiled and thought, ‘She may be a femme fatale but that was part of her charm but calling her a succubus had just been mean.’  
~~~~~  
It was so much harder for him to set off her temper without his voice. With the notes she could decide if she wanted to read them or not. If she thought it was going to be hurtful, she wouldn’t read it. He was also finding that he didn’t want her to be mad. The truth was that he had just wanted her attention and making her mad had seemed to be the easy way of getting her attention. They were spending most of their evenings at home alone with Rhett reading or listening to Scarlett talk about her businesses. He would write her notes but very few of his comments were sarcastic or mocking. When he had to write it down it made him pause. It made him have to decide if he was being funny or just hurtful.   
Scarlett was spending two to three mornings a week with her children whether Rhett was there or not. She was taking them to the park. She would invite Rhett along but if he didn’t go, she went by herself. She didn’t even take Mammy with her. When she spent time with her children, they were always so happy. The little voice would tell her that she was doing a great job becoming a mother. When Rhett would write notes about her poor mothering skills, she would ignore them. The little voice told her she was doing a good job and the little voice was always right.   
Rhett didn’t understand why he persisted in telling Scarlett she was a bad mother when she was so obviously trying to become a better mother. After he thought about it, he decided that he had always been the most important person in the children’s lives and he didn’t want to lose that status. He knew it didn’t speak highly of him but he had always wanted to be the most important person in any room. He knew he wanted to be the only person in Bonnie’s life but Scarlett wasn’t going to allow that. In spite of his negative words and attitude she was determined to be part of her children’s lives.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW   
Author’s Notes: Thank you for the reviews and the feedback.   
Rhett and Scarlett are changing but they are doing it slowly.   
I think we as people tend to think everyone in a group thinks the same way. Most of the time that is not correct. It is just the people who think differently are keeping their heads down to avoid being attacked themselves.   
_____________________________________________________________________________________

The only time Scarlett missed Rhett not being able to speak was right before they went to sleep at night. She missed his stories. When he was telling her his stories there had been a camaraderie between them that had been missing the rest of the day. He still treated her kindly and he would often rub her back until she fell asleep. She didn’t know how she knew but she knew that was the time he really missed smoking his cigar.   
One night three months after Rhett lost his voice, she asked Rhett, “Why are the Scallawag wives laughing at me?” To Scarlett’s embarrassment Rhett burst out laughing. When he laughed, he still made noises so it really irritated Scarlett.   
Rhett reached for his note pad. He wrote - They think you are incredibly naïve and immature. They think you are a child. They think you are just spending time with them until you get bored and go back to your proper life -  
Scarlett grumbled, “I am so tired of everyone thinking I am a child. I am not a child. I have three children. I am running two successful businesses.”  
Rhett wrote - That is true but not being a child is more than that. It is about not being selfish and self-centered. It is about thinking of others -  
“I think of others. I support my aunts. I support everyone at Tara. I support Aunt PittyPat. I support Ashley and Melanie. I even support India Wilkes.” The little voice said, ‘That’s right. You are even supporting Ashley.’ Scarlett thought, ‘Yes. Even Ashley Wilkes which is the worst because he was supposed to make my load lighter.’ The little voice said, ‘He is a pretty heavy load.’  
Rhett wrote - When are you going to cut Mr. Wilkes loose? -  
With reading that Scarlett lost all of her anger. She didn’t want to fight with Rhett about Ashley any more. She was just going to go to bed. She said, “Good night.” She turned and walked out of the room. Rhett stayed in the library. He felt she was on the brink of realizing what a dead weight Mr. Wilkes was but he was afraid to push. If he pushed, she could like a ground hog run back into her hole of denial but if he didn’t push would his obtuse wife ever realize the truth of Mr. Wilkes.   
When Scarlett got to their room, she called for Prissy to help her get undressed. After Prissy left and she was in her nightgown she wondered why she bothered putting it on for Rhett was just going to take it off. She smiled when she thought about him saying it was better when it was skin to skin. He was right it was. She thought about the children. She thought about what she was going to do the next day. She thought about her businesses. She finally thought about what she had been trying not to think about. She thought, ‘Ashley Wilkes is a very bad businessman. No! No! No!’ The hated little voice said, ‘You can deny it all you want but it’s the truth. He would rather be reading poetry or old books than making a success of the mill.’ She wished Rhett would help her with her feelings about Ashley but he always got so hostile and angry when she tried to talk about Ashley that she wouldn’t bring him up anymore. She wasn’t going to think about Ashley any more tonight.   
The little voice said, ‘You need to give up the Scallawag wives. They are all just a bunch of whores and loose women. Your mother would be so ashamed of you.’ She thought about her mother and what a lady she was. She was going to become a lady and get received into the finest homes in Atlanta even if it killed her. The little voice said, ‘It is what your mother would have wanted.’ She sighed. She knew it was true. Her mother would be so ashamed of everything she had done in the last four years but if she restored her reputation as a lady her mother would be so proud.   
Scarlett was sitting there brushing her hair and thinking when Rhett walked into the room. Rhett took off his clothes while looking at Scarlett. He decided she wasn’t thinking about Ashley which he didn’t know if that was good or bad. Rhett walked over in his underwear and sat beside her on the bench and took the brush out of her hand. He started brushing her hair. Scarlett was feeling so contented with Rhett brushing her hair that she almost purred.   
Rhett put the brush on the vanity table and stood up. He pulled her up and they went to the bed. Scarlett was willing and eager just as she had been since he had returned from Chicago. After Scarlett was asleep Rhett hoped she was finally seeing Ashley as he was.  
~~~~  
In the next month Scarlett stopped attending any of the Scallawag or Yankee events. She even started almost snubbing them in the street. She would speak to them but she would never engage them in a conversation. Rhett had stopped doing business with them as well. He had made enough money on the Republican government. It was too embarrassing to him to try to communicate with the men through gestures and notes.   
Scarlett had started going with Melly to several of the sewing bees. She told the ladies that she was ashamed that she had been spending time with the Yankees and even more mortified that she had the Republican governor in her home. The little voice had told her to blame it on Rhett and she did. The ladies seem to accept that as a valid reason. They were being polite which was better than them snubbing her. It would take a lot of time for her to be forgiven but they were all receiving her so she was happy for now.   
At one of these sewing bees the little voice said, ‘You need to tell Fanny you are sorry for your part in Tommy’s death.’   
She thought, ‘It’s not my fault he died. I didn’t make anyone go out there to avenge my honor.’  
The little voice said, ‘No you didn’t but if you ever want to be completely received again you have to acknowledge your small part in the disaster. Even if you don’t mean it.’  
‘I am a victim here too. I lost my husband.’  
‘You didn’t love your husband.’  
‘Why does everyone keep saying that to me? That is the same thing Will said about Charlie.’  
‘Because you are trying to put yourself on the same level as these women emotionally and you aren’t. How would you feel if something happened to Rhett?’  
‘Nothing is going to happen to Rhett. He is too smart to go on a fool hardy raid.’  
‘Is he too smart to get sick and die. The man has not lived the healthiest life. He smoked, he drank, stayed out all night, used whores, probably has not eaten the healthiest diet. No, you have to accept something could happen to Rhett. If it did wouldn’t you want all these women to truly be sympathetic for you.’  
Like a small child Scarlett thought again, ‘Nothing is going to happen to Rhett. I won’t allow him to die on me. I will go talk to Fanny though.’   
Scarlett sat down next to Fanny on one of the divans. Scarlett said, “I should have said this when Tommy died but I was too distraught about Frank to be thinking straight. I’m sorry for my part in his death.”  
Fanny said, “Thank you Scarlett. I still miss him.”  
“I miss Frank also.”  
“No, you don’t. Everyone knows you married Frank for three hundred dollars to save your plantation. Times were hard and you had to do what you had to do.”  
Scarlett stared at Fanny. Fanny wasn’t saying what Scarlett had done was right but Fanny could understand. Fanny smiled at Scarlett’s shock face and said, “I didn’t think that three years ago when you married Frank or even two years ago but I see things differently now. I have a gentleman caller who is very nice and has a good job. He is not very attractive but that is not important any more. I don’t love him but I am fond of him. Financial security is what is important.”  
“Financial security is why I have always worked so hard to make my mills profitable.”  
“Tommy admired you.”  
“Really?”  
Fanny whispered, “Yes, really. He saw how hard you worked to make those mills a success. He didn’t condemn you for driving through Shantytown like a lot of the people did. He said, ‘How else is she going to keep those mills going if she isn’t making Hugh and Mr. Wilkes work hard.”  
“That makes me happy that Tommy admired me.” Scarlett wasn’t even offended on Ashley’s behalf.   
“Tommy would tell me after the clan meetings that pretty soon they were going to do something. They were just waiting for the right opportunity. All the men were eager to go. They thought they were going to be great heroes.” Fanny said and smiled sadly.  
“Just like the war. All those young men were so excited about going to war. They knew they were all going to come back home in six months as heroes.”  
“Exactly. Tommy always had a reckless streak in him. The fine ladies treated you pretty badly in the days after the raid. They acted like everything was your fault. I guess it was easier to blame you than blame their husbands. Their dang fool husbands.”  
“Thank you for saying that.”   
“You marrying Rhett Butler was a daring move though. I don’t know if they will ever accept you back in completely. The war has been over for almost five years and I am tired of being poor. The dowagers including my mother still act like having honor is better than having full stomachs and decent clothes to wear. Not for me. Not when I have to look in my son’s face night after night when I have to send him to bed on an almost empty stomach. Today if Rhett Butler asked me to marry him I would, even with his reputation. That kind of financial security is worth it. And he is pretty easy on the eyes. I take visitors on Thursday afternoons from one to three. Come see me.”   
With that Fanny walked off. Her conversation with Fanny had shocked Scarlett. She would never had thought Fanny would be inviting her over for a visit. Fanny had said she would do what Scarlett did if she had the chance. Fortunately, she was already married to Rhett and she didn’t need to worry about any of these ladies stealing him away from her. Scarlett smiled as she thought about Fanny’s comment about Rhett being easy on the eyes. She thought, ‘Yes he is.’  
The little voice said, “They are no longer the competition.”  
She thought, ‘What?’  
‘When you were sixteen you would not be friends with any of the other girls because they were the competition. Now you are married so you can be friends with them.’  
‘They don’t like me.’   
‘Maybe if you were nice to these ladies, they would be nice to you.’  
‘I don’t think so.’  
‘If you stop flirting with every man around, they would like you. If you didn’t have to be the center of attention, they would like you. If….’  
‘I get it. Hush.’  
Scarlett had never told the voice to hush before and it did stop speaking but probably because it wanted to stop speaking.   
Two things she knew after her conversation with Fanny Welburn. Not everyone agreed with the dowagers and a lot of people’s opinions about honor and the old ways had changed.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW   
Author’s Notes: Thank you for the reviews and the feedback. 

Several days later Scarlett was sitting in her buggy outside of Johnny’s mills. It was the first of the month and she had to check the books at all of her businesses. The little voice had told her, ‘The way Johnny is stealing from you is when he receives goods, he has the waybill show less than what was actually received. The price remains the same so the suppliers are still getting all their money so no one is the wiser. It is a deal he has with the drivers. Then he pays them for their silence.’ She asked the little voice, ‘How can I prove it?’ The little voice said, ‘You can’t without getting the drivers to confess. That is the beauty of his plan.’ She would think about that later.   
She started off to Ashley’s mill. She had managed not to think about the revelation she had discovered that night but she knew she couldn’t keep ignoring the obvious. She was driving out to Ashley’s mill to check the books. She was sad and even the thought of Ashley didn’t cheer her up. She knew he would have barely made a profit. He wasn’t doing any better than he had in her confinement. The little voice said, ‘He was perfect before the war but now he is a gentleman but this world doesn’t need gentleman. He is like a turtle on his backside.’ She had stopped arguing with the little voice. It was always right. But she knew it was definitely right this time. Ashley was living in a time that had passed. What was it he had said that day in the orchard about something that had destroy their world and he was happy he had gotten to experience it? This was the part she truly remembered, ‘There are people with intelligence and courage who will survive and the rest of us will be winnowed out.’ When she recalled his statement the little voice said, ‘He had already accepted defeat. He put himself in the group that would be winnowed out.’   
She thought, ‘What does - winnowed out - mean?’   
The little voice said, ‘I don’t know. Ask Rhett when you talk to him about Ashley.’  
She would talk to Rhett after supper. Since Rhett had lost his voice, he had behaved more like her friend than that horrible man that was her husband. She had to try to talk to Rhett about Ashley even if he got mean and ugly. He could not be mocking and rude because he couldn’t speak. Even the few times when he had written a mocking comment it wasn’t as hurtful as when Rhett said it. She had to talk to Rhett her friend. The little voice in her head said, ‘That is exactly what you need to do.’

Scarlett went out to Ashley’s mills and as she suspected he had barely covered expenses. She looked at Ashley and he looked like a beat dog that was going to get beat again. She started to say something about him trying harder but she couldn’t. The little voice said, ‘He isn’t any good because his heart isn’t in it. If you looked in the drawer, I bet you would find a book of poetry.’ She opened the drawers until she found a book of poetry. She said, “This was your mother’s book. How did you save it?”  
Ashley looked startled and said, “I had given it to Melly as a wedding present so it was in the Hamilton House during the war. That’s what saved it.”  
She stood up and said, “Have you thought about what you would like to do if you weren’t doing this?”  
“I thought I might like to teach although not many schools and universities are hiring.”  
“What about working at a bank, or a newspaper or for Uncle Henry?”  
“Maybe any of those.”  
“Ashley, try harder to make a profit or let’s just sell this mill.”  
“Alright Scarlett.”  
As Ashley walked her to her buggy, he started talking about getting the vote back. She just let him prattle on. As she was heading back to town the little voice said, “You never listen to him when he talks about things you don’t understand or that you don’t care about.” She didn’t answer the little voice. They both knew it was right.   
Over the last several months Scarlett and Rhett had created signs and gestures to communicate. Most people would not understand them. They had figured out a simple way to communicate so Rhett didn’t have to write the request down every time he wanted something.   
Scarlett sat with Rhett on the divan that night. They had to sit close together so Scarlett could read Rhett’s written sentences. That’s what they told each other anyway. Scarlett said, “What does it mean to be winnowed out?”  
Rhett wrote, - ‘Use it in a sentence.’-  
“Ashley once said that we had experienced a Getter something and that the only people to survive would be those with brains and courage and the rest would be winnowed out.”  
Rhett wrote, - “Thrown away like waste.”  
“I don’t know what to do. Ashley is such a bad business man. I either have to replace him or sell the mills.’  
She ignored the smirk on Rhett’s face. He wrote a question down on his pad of paper. She leaned forward to read what Rhett had written and he turned his head to see her expression. Their lips were less than an inch apart. Scarlett saw a way to wipe that smirk off Rhett’s face. She kissed him. Rhett was surprised. Scarlett had never kissed him before except when they were having relations and that wasn’t very often. She had kissed him back but she had never been the first to initiate a kiss. It wasn’t a deep passionate kiss. It was a kiss a spouse gives their spouse as a sign of caring. Rhett had to control his thoughts and not let them get ahead of where Scarlett was. Wherever that was. He watched her as she read the note.   
He wrote - I have been telling you that for years. What did he do to make you see him as a bad business man?  
Scarlett said, “You left off the ‘my pet.”  
Which made Rhett laugh and he wrote it on the paper. She scowled at him and said, “I always scowl at you when you call me ‘my pet.”  
Which made Rhett smile. She wasn’t flirting with him in that shallow way she sometimes did. Rhett felt that Scarlett was playing with him. That she was engaging with him as a woman to a man, not as a woman to her checkbook. It made him feel good but he was being very cautious with his feelings for he had been fooled before. He wasn’t going to show her anything as always. He tapped the paper with his pencil.   
Scarlett wondered what Rhett would say if she told him a little voice in her head told her Ashley was a lousy business man. He would be sending her to the Georgia State Lunatic Asylum at worst and keeping her locked up at best. No. She would keep that information to herself. She wasn’t telling anyone about the little voice. She didn’t think she was crazy. The little voice so far hadn’t led her astray. She would think about it tomorrow. She had to think about what she was going to say to Rhett. So, what did she tell him? Scarlett started speaking slowly, “After I got out of my confinement I went to the store. Mr. Elsing is not the smartest man around and he made a nice profit those six months. I went to Johnny’s mill and he made a nice profit despite the fact he is stealing from me. I went to Ashley’s mill and he had barely covered expenses despite being much smarter than Mr. Elsing and being honest. Looking at the facts he should have made the most money but he made the least amount. He has barely made a profit for the last six months.’  
Rhett stared at her. That was so logical and well-thought out. Scarlett usually wasn’t that logical in regard to Mr. Wilkes. There were so many questions he wanted to pepper her with starting with, ‘Have your feelings for Mr. Wilkes changed?’ All his questions he wouldn’t write down. Writing them down would expose him too much. If he could talk, he could say it in a mocking way to see her reaction and not expose himself. As he continued to stare at her Scarlett said, “What should I do? I can’t fire him. That would cause problems between me and Melly.”  
Rhett quickly scribbled down. - Why would you care if you caused problems between you and Miss Melly?-  
Scarlett looked at him and said, “She is my only friend besides you, silly goose. Especially since I stopped hanging out with the Scallawags wives.” Scarlett knew that Rhett wanted to know if her feelings for Ashley had changed but to be honest, she didn’t know if they had or not. Just because one loves someone it doesn’t mean one doesn’t see their faults. Maybe she should ask the little voice then she giggled. No, she wasn’t going to encourage the little voice to talk any more than it already did. Rhett looked at her and she smiled but didn’t explain the giggle. “So, what should I do? I don’t want to sell the mill but it isn’t worth all the work if all I am doing is breaking even.”   
Rhett wasn’t ready to let the subject of Mrs. Wilkes go just yet. He wrote – ‘I am glad you have seen the value of Mrs. Wilkes but don’t pretend that you have always loved her. Shall I remind you of all the hateful things you have said about Mrs. Wilkes in the past?’ –  
“No.”  
Rhett wrote, - ‘Well?’  
“Isn’t it enough that I know how wonderful she is now?”  
Rhett wrote, - ‘I want to know what has changed your opinion of her.’  
“I don’t know. One day I realized that she was my best friend next to you. I really don’t know, Rhett’  
As much as he wanted to make her admit that the reason, she now loved Mrs. Wilkes was because she no longer loved Mr. Wilkes, he knew she didn’t know she didn’t love Mr. Wilkes yet. As frustrating as it was, he let it go. He wrote, ‘You need to sell your mill.’  
“I don’t want to sell the mill.”  
Rhett wrote something then started to show it to her and wrote some more - That is the only way to get rid of Mr. Wilkes and not ruin your relationship with Mrs. Wilkes. As long as you don’t hire him at the store.”-  
“He wouldn’t be any better managing the store than running the mill. I really don’t know what he would be good at except sitting around reading poetry.” Scarlett said and laughed.   
Rhett stared at her. He couldn’t believe she made a joke at Mr. Wilkes’s expense.   
“Oh, come on. That deserves at least a chuckle.”   
Rhett smiled and wrote - Yes, it does - And laughed. Not at her joke but at the fact she made one at Mr. Wilkes’s expense. Rhett wrote on his pad – I think Mr. Wilkes would be a good teacher or a good newspaper reporter. I have a friend who runs a Boy’s Preparatory School. I will talk with him and see if he needs any more teachers. I will go tomorrow.”-  
“You get Ashley another job and I will sell both my mills. Then I will be rid of both my problems Ashley and Johnny.”  
Rhett laughed and Scarlett smiled a self-assured smile. Rhett stood up and offered his wife his hand and they walked up the stairs to retire for the night. Rhett was a happy man. He didn’t think Mr. Wilkes was out of her heart but she had lost the hero worship and that was a large step in the right direction. He also knew she wasn’t holding herself back when they were having relations now. He was holding himself back less and less. The more he gave of himself the more she seemed to give of herself.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW   
Author’s Notes: Thank you for the reviews and the feedback. 

Two weeks later Rhett woke up with Scarlett pressed up against him. Most of the time he woke up and she was in his arms but sometimes she had rolled over and out of his arms. If she had rolled out of his arms, throughout the night she ended up pressed up against him. He knew that his presence in her bed offered her physical security and she never had the nightmares when he was in bed with her anymore. He also knew that she was not emotionally secure. She was always afraid of what disaster awaited her around the corner. For a moment Rhett wondered if there was something, he could do to make her feel emotionally secure without telling her he loved her. He would ponder on this in the next coming days. Right now, he was going to go see his baby.   
Scarlett awoke two hours later and snuggled into Rhett’s side of the bed. It smelled like him and that brought her comfort. In another ten minutes Prissy came in the room with her breakfast tray. She got up to face the day. Rhett’s friend had needed a teacher to teach Latin and French. Something every young man needs to know according to Rhett. As it turned out Rhett knew someone who wanted to buy her mills both of them. At first, she really wanted to say no because she had built those mills from nothing but the little voice told her now was the time to sell both mills. The little voice also told her that the building boom was over and now was when she could get the best price for her mills. She decided to sell the mills and rid herself of the headache of Ashley and Johnny. Today was that day. She would still have the store after all and she could always buy another business.   
Scarlett and Ashley sold their mills to the Yankee, Tom Mobbs. He had given them a very good price for the mills. Rhett was a happy man. Now there wouldn’t be any weekly contact between Scarlett and Ashley. As Rhett had observed Scarlett with Ashley in Mr. Hamilton’s office, she had not gotten that hero worship in her eyes.   
As Rhett, Scarlett and Ashley walked out of the lawyer’s office Ashley said, “Thank you, Captain Butler, for your help in getting me this job.”  
Rhett nodded his head. Scarlett linked her arm in Rhett’s arm and said, “Your welcome. He still can’t speak. He is thinking of going to the teaching hospital in New York. And when I say he I mean we are going to New York. Do you know how many stores there are to shop at there?”   
Ashley said, “No, how many?”  
Rhett was pleased she was just talking to Ashley. She wasn’t flirting with Ashley. She wasn’t looking at Ashely with adoring eyes. And best of all she was standing very close to him almost too close. Rhett patted her hand and she smiled at him and said to Ashley, “Too many to count. Rhett is ready to leave. Good luck in your new job. Tell Melly I will be by tomorrow. Bye Ashley.”  
The couple walked away arm and arm. Ashley smiled as they walked away. He knew Scarlett didn’t believe herself in love with him anymore and he knew it was for the best. Scarlett’s adoration was something he would miss but he thought, ‘All good things must come to an end.’  
As they were walking away Scarlett said, “Thank you for coming with me to sign the papers.”  
Rhett smiled at Scarlett and she smiled back. Rhett wouldn’t have missed the signing of the papers for the world. Now Scarlett could travel with him and their first destination was New York. He was actually looking forward to taking Scarlett to New York and letting her shop to her heart’s content. He knew that whether he could talk or not she would drag him to store after store. She had always appreciated his opinion on her clothes. She may not follow his advice but she wanted to hear what he had to say.  
These five months that he couldn’t talk they had become very close. They both had changed. When he had to write his comments down, he had to decide if he really wanted to say something, before he wrote it down. They no longer flew out of his mouth like poisonous arrows. He found the nicer he was to her the nicer she was to him.  
Scarlett had been so sweet to him since he had lost his voice. She was focusing on him and their relationship. She was interested in him and appreciated his interest in her. Since the party that he had gotten so mad at she had not gone off and flirted with all the men in the room. She flirted with other men sometimes but only when she had her arm linked in his. He now accepted he shouldn’t have encouraged her to do whatever she wanted. It had just made her more selfish and self-centered which he realized really was a logical outcome of being encouraged to do what ever one wanted.   
They went to the park with the children two or three times a week. He admitted to himself that him wanting Bonnie all to himself was selfish and stupid. A child naturally wants both of their parents. He could tell that by how quickly Wade and Ella had bonded to Scarlett. Scarlett would give Bonnie a type of love that he couldn’t. He knew he would be too lax with Bonnie because he wanted to give her everything but giving someone everything without limits and guidance was wrong. Their mansion was a perfect example of that. If he had helped Scarlett with the mansion it wouldn’t be too big, too gaudy, and too red.   
They spent a lot of time together. He stayed at home most nights because he wasn’t enjoying playing cards or drinking like he used to. When he went to play cards, it wasn’t nearly as much fun when he couldn’t make mocking comments to everyone about people. It was hard not to smoke when he was in a saloon and he didn’t want to go back to smoking. He was not drinking as much so a couple of drinks affected him a lot quicker than before he lost his voice. Most important the woman he wanted to have relations with was already in his bed. He never thought he would be the kind of man to be faithful but he was. He guessed he had a little bit of honor in him.   
Once they got to the buggy, she wanted to go to the bank to deposit her check. She was so proud of what she had accomplished and he realized that he had never praised her for her accomplishment. He got a piece of paper from the teller and wrote on it – You did great! - There was so much happiness on her face and a few tears in her eyes. When she said, “Thank you, Rhett” he knew how much his praise meant to her and he wondered why he had always withheld it.   
On the buggy ride home, she was so happy and she chatted with him. She would always pause every now and then for him to provide input which he did. He smiled or he frowned. He raised an eyebrow in a mocking way. Or he would look questioningly at her. Through their personal sign language, they were communicating fairly well. When they got to the mansion she said, “Let’s take the children to the park and go out for dinner. We can eat at that café by the park.” She looked at him waiting for his answer. He smiled and nodded his head. She hugged him. He thoroughly kissed her in their buggy in front of their house. Through his touch he was trying to tell her he loved her. When he had finished, she said, “You haven’t kiss me like that since you asked me to marry you. You shouldn’t save that kiss for just special occasions.” He wanted to ask what the special occasion was. She looked at him and said, “Come on, Rhett. Why are you dillydallying?” With that statement he jumped down and lifted her out of the buggy. She laughed at him. The little voice said, ‘This is good.’ Scarlett agreed. This was good.   
They did take the children to the park and have lunch at Sam’s Café. The food was good and the conversation lively. Wade would talk to Rhett like Scarlett did. He would pause to let Rhett contribute to the conversation. When Ella talked to Rhett she didn’t pause. It was a steady flow of questions and words. Rhett would just look at her and smile. While they were sitting at the table with Scarlett trying to get Bonnie to eat some smashed-up peas the voice said, ‘He is looking at Ella with love also. He loves your children.’ Scarlett thought, ‘Yes he does.’   
As they were walking back to the mansion Rhett gave her that look that always confused her. The voice said, ‘He is looking for a sign that you care for him.’   
She thought, ‘He knows I care for him.’  
‘No, that you really care for him.’  
‘Like love?’  
‘Yes. Like love. Have you ever wondered why he has stayed around you all these years? He loves you.’  
Her mind went blank. Rhett couldn’t love her but so far, the voice had not been wrong. ‘No, the voice was wrong this time’, she thought  
The voice sighed and said, ‘You aren’t anything but a stubborn mule.’  
That hurt her feelings like when Mammy had called her and Rhett that before they got married. Scarlett did wonder how a voice in her head could hurt her feelings and she pondered on that the rest of the day. She was going to think about almost anything but what the voice had said about Rhett loving her.  
~~~~  
Scarlett had started visiting Fanny on Thursday afternoons. She enjoyed Fanny. The conversations were funny and interesting. Other young women stopped by and Scarlett got to know them also. At first, they were stand offish but as Scarlett was consistently friendly and nice the other women began to relax around her.   
One day a woman named Anna Beth said to Scarlett, “How is your husband doing since he can’t speak?”  
There were a lot of comments from the other ladies about how they wished their husband couldn’t speak. Scarlett smiled and said, “He is doing great although he hates to have to write everything down. I have had fun at his expense by saying things like… If you don’t want me to do it just say no. Or If you don’t want me to buy it just say no.”  
The other ladies laughed. For the first time in her entire life Scarlett felt like she was part of a group of women. She felt like they liked her.   
Another day someone ask Scarlett about her feud with India Wilkes. Scarlett said, “When I was fifteen, I did a foolish thing and she has never forgiven me for it. I stole her suitor.”  
A woman named Jenny said, “Was that the first man you stole because we know he wasn’t the last?”  
Everyone laughed. This was the moment of truth. If they didn’t accept her now, they never would. Scarlett said, “Until the ring is on your finger anything can happen. But the single ladies are safe with their suitors now because I am happily married to Rhett.”  
Emma said, “It won’t do India any good but nothing will. She looks like she sucks lemons for breakfast.” All the women laughed even Melly. Emma looked at Scarlett and winked and Scarlett never felt happier.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW   
Author’s Notes: Thank you for the reviews and the feedback. 

Two weeks later Scarlett and Rhett were on the train to New York. They were going to New York by themselves. It was like a second honeymoon. On the train she was trying to read the book Emma that Melanie had given her but there were too many characters for her to keep straight and she gave up. Rhett smiled and actually praised Scarlett for trying to read the novel. Again, he saw how much his praise meant to her. At the next train station Rhett got off and bought Scarlett ‘one of those dreadful dime novels.’ As he knew she would she loved it because it was filled with adventure and didn’t require any deep thought on the part of the reader.   
When she said, “I loved this book. Thank you, Rhett.”  
He wrote a note that said, - I knew you would like it. –   
Scarlett smiled at him. He refrained from writing – It is low-brow enough to make you happy. – Why hurt her feelings with a cruel remark. His not being able to speak had shown him how many times he would say something unkind to her. He would say it for no other reason than to hurt her feelings and he really didn’t know why. Like when they were in New Orleans and he had introduced her to some of his associates and their wives. She had a good time that evening and she was happy. When she said she liked his friends he had said something about he knew she would like them because she was attracted to the glitter and not the gold. All the happiness had left her face. He didn’t think he could have hurt her more if he had literally slapped her. That night they had been happy before he had ruined it. If he had been trying to ruin his relationship with Scarlett, he couldn’t have done a better job.   
They just sat close together on the divan each reading their book. Neither person pointed out that they didn’t need to sit so close to each other if they weren’t having a conversation. Afterall she didn’t need to sit close enough to read what he had written if he wasn’t writing anything.   
In the afternoon she stared out the window looking at the scenery. She was thinking of Ashley. She knew she was no longer in love with him. That damn little voice had told her so a while ago and she knew it was right. It had said, ‘You don’t love Ashley Wilkes. He is just a habit. He is a dream from your youth.’ When she heard the voice say it, she knew it was right. She had even finally agreed with what Ashley had said all those years ago in the library, they were just too different. She would want to hunt, shoot, ride and drink whiskey and he would want to read poetry and go to the opera. She had even realized that Melly was worth ten of Ashley and she felt ashamed for all the ugly things she had thought about her through the years. Melly who was doing everything she could to get Scarlett received again into Atlanta’s polite society. Since she had started going to the sewing bees again, she had noticed a definite thawing by the dowagers toward her even Mrs. Merriwether.   
The question she was pondering was what did she feel for Rhett. She was waiting for the little voice to tell her the answer. She knew she was fond of him but was it more. What did he feel for her? After these last six months she could believe he loved her. When she had finally thought about the little voice telling her that Rhett loved her, she had been gleeful for she would have the power in the relationship. The little voice told her, ‘Don’t use his feelings against him. It will be worse than when he found out you were trying to trick him at the Fire House.’ That had made her shudder with just the thought of how brutal Rhett could be when he was angry. She had decided right then that if he loved her, she would never try to use his feelings against him. As she was sitting there Rhett handed her a note that said, - We are passing through Virginia. On the way back would you like to go to Gettysburg? -   
Scarlett shook her head no and said, “Never in a thousand years. I want to forget the war ever happened.”  
He wrote – ‘That’s hard to do with destruction all around us.’-  
“And with everyone continuing to talk about it all the time.”  
Rhett smiled and sat down next to her on the window seat. She leaned into him and felt safe. She thought, ‘He makes me feel safe. He will take care of me financially. I never want to live without him. That’s sounds like love to me but I will never tell him for if he doesn’t love me, he will use my love against me.’  
The next evening, they arrived at the train depot and went to stay at the Mayfair Hotel. Rhett got them the honeymoon suite. She had wanted him to carry her over the threshold. He had laughed and complied.   
Two nights later they went to the opera at the Grand Opera House. Rhett bought her a gorgeous midnight blue velvet dress to wear to the opera. It was on the empire style with a low neckline and puff sleeves. He bought her a shawl made of cashmere to wear with it. He bought a parure with sapphires and diamonds in it. She wore every piece of jewelry in the set. She told him, “It isn’t every day one gets to wear a tiara.”   
Rhett had written – ‘You can wear it around the house.’-  
“True.”  
The opera was alright as far as Scarlett was concerned. It wasn’t something she would want to go to every night but it was entertaining enough. Scarlett could tell that Rhett had a wonderful time. Rhett had worn a tuxedo and Scarlett thought there wasn’t a handsomer man in the entire city. She thought they made a good-looking couple and she told him so. He agreed.  
They went to the American Museum of Natural History. They went to the menagerie of animals at Central Park. They went to Lord and Taylor’s and Macy’s to shop where Scarlett just enjoyed looking at all the ready to wear garments. They ate at some of the finest restaurants in New York. They had Italian, French and even German food. Scarlett let Rhett choose for her and she was pleased with all of his choices. After supper one night as they were waiting for their after-dinner drinks Scarlett saw that Rhett was looking at her that way, like he was hoping for something. Scarlett did something that made her so scared. She reached out her hand and grasped his. He held her hand and looked at the fingers intwined then he looked at her with his mask on. She looked at their hands and said, “I hope the learning hospital has some answers for why you can’t speak tomorrow.”  
Rhett pointed at himself and nodded his head. Scarlett took that as me too.   
The next day they went to the teaching hospital in Brooklyn. They had to take the ferry. Rhett told her that they were building a bridge to connect the two boroughs but it would be several years before it was completed. Rhett then wrote – ‘Wade would love to see this’. Scarlett smiled up at Rhett. She didn’t know it but all her love was showing on her face. Scarlett would never make a good poker player and Rhett was glad. He smiled down at her and kissed her in public. Scarlett blushed but she didn’t scold Rhett. They went to see an Otolaryngologist in the hospital. When they got to the receptionist, Scarlett looked at Rhett and he took a telegram out of his pocket and showed it to her.   
She said, “We are here to see Gary Zerlin. My husband can’t speak.”  
The receptionist said, “Name?”  
“Scarlett Butler.”  
In a rude manner the receptionist said, “Not you. The patient.”  
Scarlett angrily said, “You certainly didn’t make yourself clear. Rhett Butler.”  
The woman opened her mouth and looked at Scarlett and closed her mouth. She opened it again and said, “Just have a seat over there we will call you.”  
In about ten minutes, a woman dressed all in white called out Rhett’s name. When Scarlett walked with him to the door the woman told her, “Just the patient.”  
Scarlett with all her southern belle attitude said, “No.” And walked through the door. Rhett followed her smiling broadly. This was going to be a good day. These people would get Scarlett’s dander up and he could just sit back and watch. Selfish bastard that he was he knew that Scarlett would be so angry when they got back to the hotel and he knew how she liked to work out her frustrations. So, Rhett was smiling as he followed her down the hall.   
The nurse showed them to a room and told him to take off his coat, cravat, waistcoat and shirt. Scarlett got mad about that. She said, “Why do you have to take all your clothes off? They just need to look at your throat.”  
Like the most docile of men Rhett just indicated that he didn’t know.   
“You aren’t taking off your pants or anything else.”  
Rhett wrote – ‘What if something down there is causing my problem?’-   
Without even blushing Scarlett said, “It isn’t. Everything down there is in good working order.”  
She was pacing back and forth and he didn’t think she really knew what she had said. He did like her being possessive of his body. After about fifteen minutes Dr. Zerlin walked in. He introduced himself and Scarlett introduced herself and Rhett. Dr. Zerlin asked a lot of questions and most of them Scarlett could answer but a few Rhett had to answer with his pad. While the doctor was listening to his lungs Scarlett said, “He has recently quit smoking after over thirty years of smoking.” Rhett looked at her but she wasn’t looking at him. She had said it so proudly like he had hung the moon. Rhett thought, ‘Of all the things I have done that is what she is most proud of me for doing.’ Finally, the doctor said, “Get dressed and I will meet you in my office.”  
Rhett got dressed quickly then the nurse escorted them to the doctor’s office. As they were sitting there, Dr. Zerlin entered and sat at his desk. He looked at Rhett and said, “The good news is that there is nothing wrong. Your throat, your lungs, your nose and your ears look great. I cannot see your vocal cords, so I can’t say if they are alright but I would assume so. You appear to be in good health for a man your age.” That statement made Rhett frown and Scarlett smile. Rhett didn’t like the reference to his age but Scarlett did like the acknowledgement of his good health. Scarlett thought, ‘I told you Rhett wasn’t going to die on me.’ The little voice said, ‘What I said was accurate. He has lived an unhealthy life.’  
The doctor continued, “I hope that your voice comes back as quickly as it disappeared. Sorry I can’t be more help.”  
Scarlett said, “Are you saying that he may never get his voice back?”  
Dr. Zerlin nodded and said, “That is what I am saying. Since I don’t know what caused him to lose his voice, I don’t have any idea how to help him get it back.”  
Rhett and Scarlett left the doctor’s office and the hospital. Neither person was happy and Scarlett was no longer angry. They both were sad. Scarlett to her credit didn’t try to make this good news. She just sat next to Rhett in the cab and held his hand. Scarlett didn’t talk all the way back to the hotel. When they got to the hotel as they were passing through the lobby Scarlett ordered a bottle of whiskey and a bottle of brandy to be sent to their room. She also arranged for their supper to be sent to their room at six.   
When they got to the room, they sat in the living room and just stared out the window. It was a beautiful view. They had talked about it earlier in the week. When the bellboy knocked on the door he entered and set the alcohol on the dining table. He quickly left with a tip. Rhett poured Scarlett a small glass of brandy and a large glass of whiskey for himself. He handed hers to her and then drank down the entire glass full. Scarlett drank all of hers at once all so. They each had two more drinks of equal size.   
After they finished eating supper, Rhett got up and took Scarlett’s hand and they went to the bedroom. They didn’t make love. That had been Rhett’s intent but after they were in bed together, he decided he just wanted to kiss her and hold her. He told her silently over and over again that he loved her. She just held him and thought, ‘I guess I do love him. I’m hurting as badly as he is.’


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW   
Author’s Notes: Thank you for the reviews and the feedback. 

The next day Rhett got up and wrote a note to Scarlett. The note said, - ‘We have only one more day in New York City. Let’s make the most of it.’- And they did. They bought souvenirs for everyone. She bought Melanie a lovely gray wool cape. She asked Rhett to choose gifts for the children and Mammy. This time though the gift to Mammy was from both of them. She bought items for Pork, Dilcey and Prissy. The only person they had not bought a gift for was Ashley.   
Scarlett said, “Let’s go to the book store and you can pick out one of those dusty old tomes that nobody but the two of you have ever read for him.”  
Rhett smiled and wrote – ‘I’m sure someone else besides just the two of us has read those books.’  
Scarlett laughed.   
Then he wrote – ‘I know just the book.’  
They bought him the book The History of Antiquity. Scarlett liked it a lot. They had a fun day. They walked around Central Park. They rode the ferries. They went to where the Brooklyn Bridge was being built. The ate at two different restaurants. They went back to the hotel and they made love. After Scarlett had gone to sleep Rhett reflected that he never at any time during their stay in New York detected that Scarlett was wishing he was Ashley. In fact, she was making fun of Ashley more and more. That made him happy.   
The next morning in a private car Rhett and Scarlett were heading back to Atlanta. About half way home Rhett wrote – ‘I am disappointed, of course. I thought that they would have an answer. I thought they would have at the very least a why. I will just keep living my life and hoping for the best.’  
Scarlett looked at him and said, “You will get your voice back.”  
Rhett smiled sadly at her. He then handed her a package wrapped in brown paper. Her face had such a childlike quality to it that he marveled at how much Bonnie looked like her. She opened the package and found the books. Scarlett smiled and threw her arms around him and said, “Thank you.” There were three dime novels and the expression on her face was one of pure happiness. He wanted that expression to stay there forever. When she had asked him to pick out a book for Mr. Wilkes, he knew she no longer thought herself in love with him. Maybe just maybe they could be happily married. He was happier than he had ever been.

In September Melly invited Rhett and Scarlett to a supper party. Although Scarlett had never told him she no longer loved Mr. Wilkes Rhett knew she didn’t. She spoke about him as she would anyone else. She no longer had him on that pedestal. She spoke fondly of him but it was obvious to Rhett that Scarlett now considered Mr. Wilkes just a friend. Rhett was actually excited about having supper with the Wilkes. He wanted to see his wife interact with Mr. Wilkes and confirm his theory that she no longer loved him.   
The supper was good although a little sparse in Rhett’s opinion. As they were having coffee in the parlor Scarlett had sat down in the middle of the sofa and patted the seat beside her while looking at Rhett. Rhett smiled and did sit next to his wife. They were actually having a lively discussion. Rhett had felt comfortable enough to pause the conversation, write a note and hand it to Scarlett. At one point, Ashley made a comment about him and Rafe Calvert putting a frog down Scarlett’s back when she was nine. Scarlett was laughing as was Rhett and Melly.   
Scarlett said, “At first I didn’t know what it was then I started screaming which made the frog squirm more. Everyone was staring at me as I was screaming. Finally, Pa came over and reached down the back of my dress. That was almost worse. Pa’s arm was making the material choke me and Pa couldn’t get a hold of the frog. I was still squirming all over the place. Finally, Pa capture the frog. I was mortified. I went and sat in the carriage.”  
Ashley said, “I think you planned on sitting in that hot carriage for the rest of the day. I made Rafe come with me to apologize. I didn’t think you were going to forgive us at first until Rafe offered to buy you some candy as an apology.”  
Rhett wrote – ‘So your forgiveness could be bought even when you were nine.’  
Scarlett said, “Yes.” Then she read Rhett’s note to the others. Everyone laughed.   
Scarlett said to Rhett but not quietly, “You have always known my affections could be bought or you would not have brought me my green hat.” She and the others laughed. Rhett laughed also.   
Scarlett started telling another story. She said, “Ashley do you remember when we went skinny dipping in the pond by the far field,” Ashley nodded his head and was beginning to look uncomfortable.   
Ashley said, “Let’s not tell that story.”  
Scarlett said, “It’s funny. Ashley, Stuart, Brent and I had been playing in the far field. It was right before Ashley went on his Grand Tour and the twins were going to go to the University for the first time. We were so hot. Brent suggested we take a dip in the pool. I said, ‘We don’t have bathing costumes.’ Stuart said, ‘We can swim naked.’ Before I knew it, they had all taken off their clothes and were in the pond. They convinced me that it would be alright if I swam in my shimmy. I discovered that my shimmy became see through when it got wet. I quickly got out of the water and put my dress back on. Then the boys stayed in the water forever. I finally left them there.”  
Ashley’s cheeks turned a little bit red and Rhett knew why they hadn’t come out of the water. Rhett burst out laughing and Ashley smiled and started laughing too. When they sobered Ashley said to Rhett, “We were hoisted on our own petard,” which made the men laugh even more.   
Melly and Scarlett were just staring at the men. It was a sight they never thought they would see. Ashley Wilkes and Rhett Butler laughing together apparently at a private joke.   
When the men sobered Ashley said to Melly, “I will explain it to you later.”   
Rhett indicated that he would explain it to her later also. When Scarlett found out that the reason the boys had not left the water was because they had erections she blushed to her roots. To make it worse Rhett kept ever so often bursting out laughing. As they got in the bed Rhett pulled Scarlett to him and she turned her back to him. Rhett just laughed some more. Rhett didn’t care she was still pressed up against him even if it was her back.   
One Thursday while at Fanny’s home, Maybelle Picard had told Scarlett that she received visitors on Monday afternoon. Scarlett started visiting Maybelle on Mondays. Partly because she was still working at getting received and being a great lady but mainly because she now had fun with the ladies of polite society that were her age. She was accepted by the younger ladies and she wondered why. Her little voice said, ‘You are accepted because you honestly want to be their friend and because they are not worried about you stealing their husband. It is obvious that you and Rhett are happy together.’  
Out of boredom Rhett started attending the Democratic Party meetings. He still thought most of the gentleman were fools but there were a few that could provide him with intelligent conversation. Since their visit to New York Rhett had accepted that he would never speak again therefore writing notes didn’t bother him as much as it had when it had first happened. The other reason was most of these men were war veterans with a deformity therefore he didn’t feel like a pitiable fellow. Rhett had always been grateful that Scarlett had never looked at him with pity.   
Rhett and Scarlett still had arguments. They just conducted them differently now. She would say something and he would write down his opposing opinion then she would say something and wait while he wrote down his response. She never just kept on talking. It was like she was trying to be fair in the argument although she often tore up his written missives and walked out of the room. He did try to stay on topic and not make mocking comments but sometimes he couldn’t help himself. Those were the ones that usually got torn up. Some arguments were quickly resolved while with some they bickered for days.   
Scarlett had a small birthday party for Ella in October and she invited every child that was Ella’s age whether she thought the child would attend or not. Scarlett was surprised by the number of children that came to Ella’s birthday party. They were the children of all the ladies she had become friends with at Fanny’s and Maybelle’s. For three-year-old Ella it was a dream come true. Scarlett had been careful not to overdo the entertainment. They just had games in the back yard, cake and punch. Rhett had walked around holding Bonnie. Several men did involve him in conversations although Rhett could not speak it was apparent, he was engaged in the conversation.   
At the end of October Scarlett and Rhett were invited to a supper party given by Edward and Ethel Baker. They had a good time although Scarlett could tell Rhett was a little uncomfortable during supper. They moved to the parlor for coffee and after dinner drinks. Ethel then announced that they were going to play Authors except with a twist. She would read off an author’s books and the first person to guess the author got a point. One needed five points to win. If one guessed wrong, they were out of the game.   
Scarlett asked Rhett, ‘Do you want to play or do you want to just watch? We could easily win if we play.’  
Rhett smiled and nodded his head. They would play. They might be out after the first round but they would play. Rhett knew both he and Scarlett were very competitive. It made him happy that she thought they could win because she knew nothing about books. That meant she thought he was smart enough to defeat the other teams by himself. It made him proud.   
They did win. Mrs. Baker had been kind enough to give him time to write his answers down. Rhett was happy that they had even beat the Wilkes. Yes, he was beginning to like Mr. Wilkes but he still liked beating him also. Rhett would always like winning. Rhett had looked at Scarlett as they were going home in the carriage and she was so smug. She told him several times how smart he was and that they were the smartest couple at the party. As she sat there proudly, she had said, “We are even smarter than Ashley and Melly.” That statement made Rhett very happy.  
That night after they were in bed Scarlett initiated relations something she had never done before. She didn’t just rub his chest and abdomen she laid on him and kissed him thoroughly. He liked it a lot. Later that night after Scarlett was asleep, Rhett decided that life had become very good since he had lost his voice.   
She and Rhett celebrated his forty-first birthday with a small supper party. The guest list included Melly and Ashley Wilkes, Aunt PittyPat, Uncle Henry, Maybelle and Rene Picard, Edward and Ethel Baker, and Fanny Welburn and her suitor Jim Hickes. Eddie and Ethel had invited them to their party so they knew they would accept. At the supper party Ashley had Rhett pigeon holed and was telling him all about the book they had brought him back from New York. Rhett gave Scarlett a ‘save me’ look. She laughed and ignored his pleas for about five minutes then she rescued him. The Wilkes demanded a rematch on the game authors and Ethel said she would arrange it. Fanny shared with Scarlett that Jim had asked her to marry him. Scarlett had to agree that Jim was not very attractive.   
The Butlers were accepted into polite society by a lot of people. Mrs. Merriwether and the Meads were still cool to them and never extended an invitation to them for any of the events they were hosting. Scarlett and Rhett discussed the issue often and both wondered if it was enough. They didn’t know.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW   
Author’s Notes: Thank you for the reviews and the feedback. 

They had a great Christmas in Charleston. They took all the children, Mammy, Prissy and her husband. They gave the rest of the staff two weeks off with pay. Rhett’s mother, Elizabeth, was extremely distressed that Rhett couldn’t speak. She kept fussing over him until Scarlett knew Rhett wanted to scream. When they got to their room, Rhett wrote down a whole page worth of sentences. He showed them to Scarlett and she commented on them and then said, “She is just showing you she loves you.”  
Rhett sighed and wrote – ‘I know. That is why I will tolerate it for the next two weeks.’ –  
Scarlett smiled and said, “Let’s go walk on the boardwalk tomorrow morning. We will just stay out of the house.”  
Rhett smiled and nodded.

Rhett made Scarlett go Christmas shopping with him allegedly because he couldn’t talk. He wrote - “The shops are too busy for the clerks to take the time to read my notes or try to understand my signs. -  
They both knew he was lying and that he just wanted Scarlett to shop with him. She wanted to shop with him too so she went along with the lie. Even with Scarlett discouraging the purchase of presents Rhett bought too many. They bickered over every present Rhett bought for Bonnie. Scarlett kept telling him their daughter didn’t need all those toys after all she wasn’t even a year old. After she finally got him to agree that Bonnie didn’t need all those toys, he switched to buying her clothes. At this point Scarlett accepted defeat and allowed him to buy more clothes than the child would wear in a year. It made Rhett happy to buy his daughter all this stuff and she could send the clothes to Suellen once Bonnie had outgrown them. Although she may store them away because she was thinking of giving Rhett another child but she would make him give her something really expensive first. Scarlett didn’t do anything without getting something in return. She teased him about buying too many presents but didn’t complain when he showered her with presents.   
Scarlett liked her mother and sister in law but they were too Charlestonian for her to be close too. Scarlett and Rhett and the children went to see her aunts. Scarlett intentionally made her aunts receive Rhett. They welcomed him into their home then didn’t speak to him. They would have ignored him completely except he was holding Bonnie and they wanted to ooh and aah over their grandniece. When Eulalie reached for Bonnie the child shrieked and hid herself in her Papa’s chest which made Rhett openly smile. Scarlett smiled too but she hid hers. It was a long hour for both Rhett and Scarlett. Finally, they were able to leave the house and they both took a deep breath once they were outside. Scarlett said, “Was it just me or was my aunts’ house stifling?”  
Rhett shook his head no then scowled as he looked at the house.   
Scarlett linked her arm in his and they walked to the coach.  
Scarlett and Rhett had a good visit but both were pleased to return to Atlanta were there was less pomp and ceremony.   
Rhett and Scarlett were very comfortable with each other now. They spent a lot of time together. They were invited often to supper parties, musical events and parties were games were played. They went to concerts, went to traveling lectures and they had started attending the Episcopal church. They attended church because polite society expected them to attend a church. Their religious views had not changed.   
Scarlett celebrated Wade’s birthday in January. She again invited everyone who had a child Wade’s age which was quite a few people. There was a good turnout. Again, they kept the party low-keyed with just games, cake and punch.   
Bonnie’s first birthday was in February and they invited everyone in polite society. Scarlett and Melly had done a lot to get the Butlers accepted. A lot of people attended although Mrs. Merriwether chose not to attend. Maybelle and Rene Picard and their children did attend though. They did a little bit more for Bonnie’s party by renting a pony for the children to take turns riding but for the most part it was low-keyed just like Wade and Ella’s parties.   
Rhett decided that being accepted by most of the people was good enough. Scarlett and him getting received would open enough doors for Bonnie. If she was just a second-tier debutante, less would be expected of her as far as being proper. They would get invited to all the fundraisers because of his wealth. Rhett and Scarlett were alright with their social status. They didn’t want to be too big of hypocrites.   
When Bonnie was born, he had wanted her all to himself now he couldn’t imagine anything better than Bonnie, her siblings, her mother and him spending the day together. Together he and Scarlett made a good team. He was too lax and she was too strict but hopefully their childrearing skills would fall in the middle. He knew Scarlett loved him and he hoped she knew he loved her. He hadn’t gotten the courage to tell her yet. He sure didn’t have the courage to write it down. He wished she would say it first.  
That night after Bonnie’s birthday party Scarlett was in her oversize tub taking a hot bath waiting for Rhett to join her. She never asked him to join her. He always just showed up in his robe and she never turned him away. She probably would never be able to say no to Rhett in regard to anything physical. There was always laughter, fun and lots of pleasure. Why would she want to say no to him? As she laid their she heard the voice. She rarely heard the voice now a days. The little voice said, ‘I am the logical, insightful, perceptive part of your brain. The part that was so underdeveloped that I couldn’t even speak. Somehow, I was given a voice so I could talk loud enough for you to hear me. This year you have developed me where you have insight, perception and can logically think thinks out. Now that I am developed it will be hard to ignore me. I am going to give the voice back to where ever it came from. I have been promised that if I need that voice again, I can borrow it again. You will not hear me as a little voice but as your own thoughts.’  
She asked the little voice, ‘How were you always right?’  
The voice said, ‘I was always right for you and your life. I used everything in your memory to form the correct answer to give you the right knowledge. Everything any one had ever spoken to you I knew. I had your intelligence which isn’t too shabby. You are not as smart as your husband but you aren’t as stupid as you think you are. I am you and you were the one that knew the truth but refused to admitted to yourself.’   
Rhett did join her and they had a lot of fun as always.   
That night as Scarlett got into bed she knew where her insightful, perceptive, logical part of her brain had gotten its voice and she smiled. Rhett smiled and pulled her close.   
He had gotten into the habit of saying I love you to Scarlett because he wanted to tell her. He felt he was safe because he could not speak. That night as they laid in the bed and Scarlett was almost asleep Rhett said, “I love you.” The words were spoken out loud. He hoped she was asleep.   
She was not and in a sleepy voice said, “I love you, too,” She then sat up and said, “You can speak again!”  
Rhett was smiling and he said, “Yes, I can. I do love you.”  
Scarlett bend down and kissed Rhett thoroughly and whispered, “I love you, too. Let’s play again.”  
“Of course, my dear.”  
There was a lot of repeated declarations of love by both parties while they were being intimate. Afterwards Rhett went to sleep happier than he had ever been.   
In the years to come Scarlett was a lot more logical, insightful and perceptive. She continued to strengthen those traits. She knew that her obtuseness and stubbornness had almost cost her the love of her life. She always worked at keeping Rhett interested in her. She wanted all of his time and attention. She wanted his heart and soul. She knew that she would have to share him with their children but she wanted to be the most important person in his life and she was going to be.   
After Rhett regained his voice, he stopped himself from saying hurtful things to Scarlett. He loved her and he no longer wanted to cause her pain. Him not being able to speak made him realize how many times those poison darts had flown out of his mouth. He had not been aware of how often he was cruel and mocking to Scarlett. He now knew how much those comments had hurt their relationship.   
In the next couple of years, they both worked at developing a happy relationship. It was still hard for either of them to admit a weakness. It was hard for them to share their wants and desires. It was very hard for either one to appear weak. They still had arguments because they were both opinionate people. It would always be hard for either one of them to admit when they were wrong but they both worked at it. Six months after Rhett regained his voice, he finally uttered the words Scarlett had longed to hear. “I’m sorry. I was wrong.” It had only been a month before that Scarlett had found the courage to say those words to him.   
When they had attended Fanny Welburn’s wedding to Jim Hicks, Mrs. Merriwether had spoken to Scarlett and the couple knew that with time they would be completely welcomed back into polite society. It would take time but they had plenty of that. Rhett still would argue with the gentleman about subjects but he never openly mocked them or their long held believes. He would whisper those comments in Scarlett’s ear and much to Rhett’s pleasure she never failed to giggle.   
~~~~~  
A year after Rhett had gotten his voice back, he had convinced Scarlett to have another child. She had agreed after Rhett bought her a cotton gin in Clayton County and promised her a trip to Paris with an unlimited budget to shop on after the baby was born. He had known what she had been doing but he hadn’t cared. He would have bought her those things anyway if she had just asked.   
She could spend as much money as she wanted to. She could decorate their home in the most awful décor. She could wear the most flamboyant, outrageous, gaudiest outfits. Her personal choices in jewelry could be just this side of vulgar. He would try to guide her into making more tasteful choices but the bottom line was he wanted her to be happy. He would be happy as long as she continued to look at him with love written all over her face.


End file.
